Monthly haircut, chatting with the woman bout London, felt like I missed living there a tad

January 10th (happy birthday to me)

Enjoyed a birthday coffee…… and faced the cold air on the balcony

Drive over to Bristol, Foursquare wished me happy birthday, as did many people via texts and tweets

Started with a costa soy gingerbread latte

Bit of browsing in the shops and onto Jamie’s for lunch. Enjoyed a some pink fizz

The brushetta was delish

Back to shops, and left to join the traffic jam from hell

Friday

Very emotional day, my birthday yesterday was the first that I haven’t had a parent to wish me happy birthday. I kinda realised that I am at stage 4 of the 5 stages of grieving.

The bulbs that I planted on Tuesday have already started to arrive

Left for the hall at 5 pm and home for 8, quick Carluccios pasta and sauce and bit of a birthday party, and drank the rather delish Cupcake wine

Saturday

Received cards from Alison and Nick, Cooky and Matty, Daron and Carl, Jane and Lewis, Joshua and Graham and Nursie

Watched ‘the man with the golden gun’ which is tons better than ‘live and let die’

Sunday

Frosty start to the day

Left the hall bout 2.30, 3 hour drive to Newport to find that the shoots are looking happy

Some mother shoulder pads eh?

Lovely plant, birthday gift from Cooky and Matty arrived to Newport

Friday

We had lots and lots of snow and it all looked wonderful

We had the #snowchallange at 3 pm, we had 5 inches, then there was some kerfuffle about CM’s and inches, oh the drama!

I made my first (and second) white russian

The day was only ruined by the actions of some thoughtless and selfish people really

Saturday

It didn’t snow, but I did build a scary snow creature

The place looked like a carpark in the Alps

The day was only ruined by the actions of some thoughtless and selfish people really

Sunday

Hungry ducks in Llangollen

The child I always wanted?

We watched the snowfall from bed

Monday

Drove to Newport, the whole journey was snowfilled

Train to London, train arrived 2 hours late, could we live in Bushey and on Little Bushey Lane

Stayed at Joshua and Graham’s, food, wine, chat, and London been bit by the snow bug also

Had laser treatment, waiting for 2 hours as they had forgotten about me, normal reaction to treatment?

Because of the delay at the hospital (they forgot about me) missed out on lunch with Cooky and Matty, so I reminded myself of what Cooky looks like

Up to Baker ST and Marylebone High st for browsing and lunch, good times. Tube, Paddington, Newport and jeepers it was cold.

Wednesday

Picked up new glasses from specsavers and drove back to Llangollen, the journey was beautiful as the whole place was snowflled and Christmas card like

Home just for midday, chilly house, they had been a slight thaw, but the snowcreature was still there

Thursday

So I started, had a revelation/ stupid idea, to snowball, to start exercise at one minute on the first day, then each time I exercise add another minute, so after 20 days I’m doing 20 minutes! Genius, although this means that basically I will only be warming up for weeks, but I think basically its gonna work

So I did a minute, just stretching really, then did 5 minutes of mindfulness meditation, downloaded app for timer, with little bell, 5 minutes flew by, was quite shocked

what came to mind was as I closed my eyes I looked at the red bus in the picture and I thought that life is a journey, we are just passing through, all trying to be somewhere

Left the boys in bed watching the snow

Drove to Manchester, did some chores round the house, very sad going through some of the clothes, this will take some time

Found the marriage certificate of mum and dad, were married one month before Paul was born

Negativity is like letting an abandoned animal into your home, first it finds safety, then warmth, then nourishment. And before you know it it’s part of the family and difficult to let go of

Luckily where we are renting means that we can’t have animals. But I can hear them outside, snarling for attention, asking for food.

The modern world means that these animals of negativity can find a way in by tapping into our homes thru phones and electronic devices, these sneaky, cowardly and faceless beasts snap at you from a distance and feel they can act wild unleashed by humanity and humility and in doing so become a danger to themselves by their un-domesticated behaviour

So new ground rules need to be created

It’s important to cut off all the entrances to your sanctuary so that they know and learn they cannot find a home with you

Barking is barking even if its hidden in a text or email. Sometimes animals need reminding or indeed to be clearly shown what is acceptable/ unacceptable behaviour

Animals need boundaries too, otherwise they go ferrel

Good behaviour should be rewarded, although be sure any changes are sincere, as I say, these abandoned animals can be sneaky, do not be fooled by sad eyes or a wet nose

If all else fails, cut off the supply of food, which means your door is closed, no nourishment will be found here, no treats, no playtime

Remember, an abandoned animal may form a pack to try to get to you, remember this is an act of fear, a desperate attempt to encourage bad behaviour from those who are weak willed. Don’t be concerned, although quite frightening, the barking will end, it may require you to step back from the window and not give in the giving the pack the attention it feels it needs – just hope the pack doesn’t turn on itself, as who will clear up the mess?

Make time for your playmates and enjoy the fun times together, negativity hates nothing more than positivity as the attention goes away

One day, the animal may learn how to behave in your home and sanctuary, that will be a great day to celebrate

Drove back to the hall, started snowing on route, made it home, bit of a thaw, but then it started snowing about 1.30 and didn’t stop till midnight

Worked on job application for Edinburgh, worked on a quick time video, took ages to work out

Squeak enjoyed a cheese platter

Saturday

The snow was crazy thick, but the thaw had started by morning

Went to the post box, there was thick ice under a layer of snow

Paul arrived home from Oxford about 4, yay! Made special dinner, Mexican style fillet steak with chipotle sauce over mash

Mexican blackberry margaritas…..

Sunday

The snow was retreating

Monday 28th

Drive to Newport was fairly quick, some drivers are odd, but to be expected really. Some people like to command the road as if it’s their own personal space, funny!

Tuesday

Worked on job application for job in Edinburgh, its a dull task really, there must be better ways to get work than that?

Wednesday

Woke up to some early 2014 birthday presents, was very happy and great way to start to the day

Saw a tree floating down the river

Popped to Asda, they still have snow there

Since Sunday have being trying to move my domain http://www.spacedogsradio.com away from Mr Site to wordpress, its not as easy as you might think:

nobody called, had an email that promised so much at the start then fizzled out……

| 30.01.2013 12:16:26 | Shameem Ahmed: Hi, my name’s Shameem Ahmed, I’m reading your question now, I’ll be just a minute. If you already have a service request number, please let me know – it’ll help me resolve your query faster.
| 30.01.2013 12:26:15 | Shameem Ahmed: may i know your website name please
| 30.01.2013 12:27:22 | dax: the domain i wish to move is spacedogsradio.com
| 30.01.2013 12:31:23 | Shameem Ahmed: One moment while i look into that for you
| 30.01.2013 12:36:41 | Shameem Ahmed: dax i am not able to search any record from spacedogsradio.com, are you sure you have added your phone number in your mr site account
| 30.01.2013 12:39:56 | dax: yes its there, i was contacted by email yesterday and the list of domains yesterday include spacedogsradio.com here is the text from the email:
| 30.01.2013 12:40:01 | dax: Hello Dax,

So please let us know with more details that what exactly do you want to do and with which domain.

Please let us know if something else is required.

Yogesh Jain
Customer Services-Support
| 30.01.2013 12:43:18 | Shameem Ahmed: We do have snowflakemaker.org account is our database and its a standard version , but we do not have spacedogsradio.com in our database but it is hosted by us
| 30.01.2013 12:43:38 | Shameem Ahmed: if you wish to move away your spacedogsradio.com account then please let me know best time to call you
| 30.01.2013 12:44:44 | dax: anytime today 🙂
| 30.01.2013 12:45:32 | Shameem Ahmed: please do let me know your phone number
| 30.01.2013 12:46:42 | dax: 07768732602 (+447768732602)
| 30.01.2013 12:46:45 | Shameem Ahmed: or you can reply back to email sent by yogesh jain with scanned copy of your passport so that we can verify your domain identity
| 30.01.2013 12:46:47 | Shameem Ahmed: Please do not feel as annoyed, We do security check to maintain user account control
| 30.01.2013 12:47:36 | dax: i don’t my passport with me or a scanner that i can use
| 30.01.2013 12:48:41 | Shameem Ahmed: do you have any other identity proof like driving license
| 30.01.2013 12:53:07 | dax: yes, but unsure why i need this level of proof of identity, i didn’t need this level of proof to join mr site, all i am trying to do if move a domain, you have my password which should be plenty – on the mr site page on the mr site webpage http://www.mrsite.co.uk/tipsandhelp/article/Transfering-your-domain-name-to-a-different-provider it says nothing about proof of identity being required
| 30.01.2013 12:54:38 | Shameem Ahmed: please check this link
| 30.01.2013 12:54:38 | Shameem Ahmed: http://whois-search.com/whois/spacedogsradio.com
| 30.01.2013 12:56:20 | dax: ok, i have checked the link
| 30.01.2013 12:56:54 | Shameem Ahmed: you can see your name is there it is ashworth dax
| 30.01.2013 12:57:18 | dax: its actually Dax Ashworth
| 30.01.2013 12:57:25 | Shameem Ahmed: we know you are the original owner of this account but just to maintain right key in right hand we have to do all this
| 30.01.2013 12:58:14 | Shameem Ahmed: your package is not there in our database so we know the name through his name, we just need one identity proof and your request is processed
| 30.01.2013 12:58:28 | Shameem Ahmed: you can reply back to yogesh jain with scanned copy
| 30.01.2013 12:59:06 | dax: OK, so can i take a photo of my driving license and email?
| 30.01.2013 12:59:17 | dax: i don;t have a scanner
| 30.01.2013 12:59:53 | Shameem Ahmed: yes you can do that it will be very helpfull for us
| 30.01.2013 13:01:59 | dax: ok, thanks
| 30.01.2013 13:02:37 | Shameem Ahmed: You are welcome, dax

Photo of driving license sent, now all i have to do is pay paypal and it all happens……

So now I have to learn how to transfer a domain from one host to another, sent question to a org called go daddy…… Your question was sent to our Online Support department. You should receive a response within 13 hours.

Thursday

up, breakfast and out to train station for trip to London, last bit of heavy rain/ hale on the walk was simply divine. Train journey was quick.